New Arrivals Centre Technology Units Four Hectare Expansion New Headquarters

Rationale:

To ensure that Kent Science Park is able to satisfy the accommodation needs of existing and future tenants in the short term, LaSalle Investment Management, the managers of the Park, and Ecologia Environmental Solutions (Ecologia), a tenant on the park since 2000, are considering a joint planning application.

The potential application would seek approval for the expansion of Kent Science Park by 4 hectares (4ha) beyond the existing security fence, in accordance with Swale Borough Council Local Plan First Review (2008), and provide a new headquarters building for Ecologia.

Kent Science Park is already the international headquarters of Ecologia from where it manages its operations in the West Midlands and in Bologna, Italy, and provides remediation services for contaminated land and groundwater, in particular:

• Site investigation
• Risk assessment
• Remediation
• Services to the insurance industry
• Emergency response
• Drilling services

Ecologia has a highly skilled, multi-disciplinary workforce who provide specialist advice and undertake high quality site investigation and remediation projects.

Its in-house team of qualified scientists, engineers, chemists and geologists has the broad range of expertise required to tackle a wide variety of clients environmental needs.

The company has a well- established presence in the UK and Europe, built on its commitment to meeting the needs of its clients, providing its services from within the company minimising the need to contract out and therefore maintaining quality and control.

Over the past three years, the company increased annually by an average of 26%. Growth is anticipated across all of Ecologia divisional specialisms and employment is expected to exceed 70 during 2010.

Ecologia’s importance to the local economy was recognised last year when it was crowned Company of the Year by the Thames Gateway Chamber of Commerce, in the Swale Business Awards.

Purpose:

The Ecologia element of the application seeks detailed permission for a new headquarters building, workshop, car park, landscaping and extended access road at Kent Science Park.

The proposed Ecologia headquarters building would be used for Class B1 purposes, i.e. for research and development and for offices and for the specification, calibration and mobilisation of site specific treatment units.

Generally, the accommodation would be provided over two floors of offices above basement workshops.

Single storey covered areas would be provided to the rear and across the circulation area.

Site and location:

The site being considered for the Ecologia proposal is broadly rectangular in shape and extends to 0.97 hectares. It lies immediately adjacent to, but outside, the existing high security fence which surrounds the Science Park.

Situated on ground rising gently towards the M2 motorway, the site is even but slopes gently towards its north east corner. Otherwise, the site is featureless, forming part of a large field in intensive agricultural use extending south to the M2.

The northern boundary to the site is formed by the existing high security fence at the Science Park and on the east side by a dilapidated post and wire fence. Currently, there are no features identifying the western or southern boundaries of the site.

An Ecological Survey, undertaken in February 2006 found that there is no material ecological interest.

Apart from the proposed 4 ha extension to the Science Park, to the west, the site is adjoined by the existing Science Park to the north, by a horse paddock and orchards to the east and by open countryside to the south.

Shimmin Road, which currently terminates at the existing high security fence, would be extended to provide access to the Ecologia plot and to other parts of the proposed 4 ha extension.

The main office building would be located on the northern part of the plot, next to the existing Science Park and orientated at right angles to the extended road. The existing high security fence would be extended along the eastern boundary in order to maintain the operational requirements of the tenants at Kent Science Park.

Investment:

The new Ecologia headquarters will cost in the region of £3m.

Jobs:

Ecologia currently employs 51 people including engineers, chemists and geologists, the company focuses on innovative technologies, developed from its in house research function, e.g. sonic drilling and soil vapour extraction techniques.

Of the Ecologia employees based at Kent Science Park, 51% have a first or higher degree and all have NVQ or specialist training skills, many obtained from courses run at the science park. In terms of where Ecologia 80% live within 20 miles of Kent Science Park.

Design and sustainability:

The Ecologia proposals will create a prestigious headquarters building for a young, dynamic small to medium enterprise (SME) with the potential for further expansion. The building would provide a fresh, modern, high quality and contemporary design that consolidates Ecologia activities in a single building at the Park. Ecologia have already moved three times within the Science Park, occupying larger buildings as the company has expanded.

Currently, the company occupies five buildings and consolidation into a single building is required to improve working arrangements and better facilitate management of the larger company.

Designed to make best use of the variation in levels across the site, the building will also take account of the potential visual impacts on nearby residents (of which there are very few); on the existing Science Park; and from the wider countryside generally. The Ecologia building would be sited to take full advantage of passive solar design to create comfortable working conditions within an energy efficient environment.

A preliminary assessment of the proposed Ecologia building forecasts that the final construction will achieve a minimum of a good environmental performance rating and demonstrates the company sustainable design and carbon reduction as an inherent part of its building design.

To the south of the Ecologia building, a parking area is proposed accommodating cycle, motorcycle and car parking as well as parking for disabled. The materials chosen for the development would utilise the latest advances in technology to create an efficient, clean, construction wherever possible, utilising lightweight materials.

In this way, a sustainable building, minimising construction waste and transportation can be created. The main external elevations of the building would be of glass with a copper composite panel that will not oxidise and will retain its red “copper” colour – consistent with the adjacent red brick buildings on the existing Science Park.

Timetable:

Construction is expected to begin soon after the grant of planning permission with a view to the headquarters being available to Ecologia approximately 18 months later.